Lightning has injured 10 people in the eastern German city of Dresden with four of the victims sustaining severe injuries.

According to a fire service spokesman, two men, aged 27 and 30, were successfully resuscitated after experiencing cardiac arrest.

Amid severe weather conditions and a passing thunderstorm in Dresden, lightning struck the group on the banks of the Elbe River shortly after 5:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Monday.

Three women and seven men aged between 26 and 41 were injured.

Four of them suffered life-threatening injuries.

Reports noted that the patients received initial emergency medical treatment and were transferred to neighbouring hospitals.

The police cordoned off the area and sent a helicopter to find any other injured people.

The emergency services called on people who had been in the area to seek immediate medical attention if they showed symptoms.

The fire brigade made a plea on Monday to anyone else that may have been injured, as they could not rule out that other people might have been affected and subsequently fled.

It stated, “If you are experiencing symptoms such as a racing heart, irregular heartbeat, numbness or tingling in your extremities, please see a doctor immediately!”

The German Weather Service in Leipzig had warned of a severe thunderstorm activity in parts of Saxony. For Dresden, they issued a thunderstorm risk warning of level two out of four.

Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

(dpa/NAN)